Colin Richardson

[Machinated]

I finally got round to checking out the poison by BFMV (I know way too late!) and the production is probably my favourite that CR has done. Obviously there are the 3 threads or so that he posted quite a while back now where he gave away quite a lot of information, but it would be nice to maybe collect together what people know of him etc.

e.g. the use of the GML EQ (frequencies in his thread) on guitars

he said for BFMV he double tracked all vocals, and used H300(0?) for chorus and slight delays.

the d4 center rim snare sample

apparently he has his own sample set that he uses on a lot of stuff (saw mark lewis post something on GS about that), but has since got the slate samples and holds them in high regard.

there was something on GS about him and andy doing recording out of a church and something about having a kit set up there? maybe andy can verify that?

obviously the dude knows the 5150 inside out, im guessing he goes for a ts and mesa cab too. same kind of micing philosophy as andy?

I heard he's a yorkshire lad - maybe some of you northerners around here may know some stuff about him too!

 

[Jaymz]

I wish he would pop in every now and again with some words of wisdom!

 

[Teddyboy]

Maybe we should try making a "Collective Questions for mr Richardson" thread?

 

[SkybluestudiosBEN]

Maybe we should try making a "Collective Questions for mr Richardson" thread?

Yea or maybe give him his own thread as well haha

 

[kev]

Didnt know about the D4 centre. Cheers dude! Hopefully we gain sort something out here as far as a richardson thread goes

 

[Trevoire520]

Totally love Colin's mixes.

BFMV - The Poison
Fightstar - Grand Unification
FFAF - CDADIC

All awesome. In particular I think he manages to get awesome consistency on his drum sounds without it sounding overly unnatural.

Any info that people have about his productions would be awesome!

 

[crillemannen]

Totally love Colin's mixes.

All awesome. In particular I think he manages to get awesome consistency on his drum sounds without it sounding unnatural.

Cant disagree with you more. I like his productions allot but saying that he produces natural drums is soo not true.

 

[Habsburgs]

From GS:

Both Andy Sneap and Colin Richardson use SSDs to mix in with their drums.

Not true!

Andy Sneap makes his own samples, (check out his forum, he has even posted his drum samples there) and Colin has used a SSD Snare once (Snare2a), on the latest Trivium album.. That's it! (I know that from one of Colin's assisting engineers)

Just because they have a free copy, doesn't mean that all the big names in the industry are using them all the time.

This is just the usual marketing hype from Yellomatter...

 

[Machinated]

apparently he sent:

"The most realistic sounding drum samples I have ever heard. There is a
snare or kick here to fit into any pop, rock or metal mix. These are the
best on the market, the new industry standard." Colin Richardson

to steven once he recieved them, but again that doesn't say that he's using them.

and FWIW mark said this on GS (but bear in mind it was apparently referencing BEFORE colin had recieved the SS samples, so dont take it too seriously!!)

We share some techniques now and then and believe me, colin does NOT use steven slate samples. He typically mixes on the neve console at strong room studios, sometimes miloco as well and he is also now starting to venture into some ITB mixing.

Colin has a kick and snare and set of toms he uses that he keeps very close, that im pretty sure none of you have, but maybe they've gotten around a bit, who knows. The slipknot drums is a replaced kick and completely blended snare and tom sound. I know colins mixes and i can tell you from speaking with him and knowing his sounds and techniques this %100 the case on this record. Im positive the snares are tabbed to transient and toms and snare rolls are sound replaced and phase aligned.

I myself prefer drumagog, but this method works fine. Cymbals are not triggered, and if there are replaced cymbals there is only a few dropped in here and there at most. The drums are completely live, yet edited (as most metal to hard rock records are) and have samples laid on them with close attention paid to dynamics.

Hope that helps!

 

[Trevoire520]

Cant disagree with you more. I like his productions allot but saying that he produces natural drums is soo not true.

I'm not saying natural natural, just more real sounding than alot of other metal productions out there imo.

Sceam Aim Fire is a bit machinegun-ey mind you...

 

[Hotstuff]

Colin wrote here,

Here is the Bullet guitar chain ESP guitar with EMG 81 into a Maxon overdrive then into Andy's 5150, cab wise a Mesa Boogie with slanted front , Mic's 57 and 421 into Neve 1073 mic pre's with no EQ
Peavey 5150 settings
Rhythm channel
pre amp 6.5
Bass 6
mid 2
treble 5.5
post gain 3
resonance 7
presense 8
Cheers guy's.

The effects used on the vocals were double tracking all vocals manually whether it be clean, heavy or harmonys , an eventide H300 was used on all vocals with a tiny chorus effect also a short delay somewhere between 200 ms and 300 ms . This was definately the treatment on the voice as i produced and mixed the album.

Hotstuff

 

[Habsburgs]

Bio

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=76389528&blogId=533814038

 

[axeman720]

This is since untrue... colin does use some slate samples. But he does have his go to sounds. Like most mixers... he does alot of blending, and colin is really a master of automation. He is very meticulous... and remember some samples work better than others for some mixes.

Slate samples are great... but like any sample it has its place. I have my go to samples, and sometimes i prefer a slate or a clearmountain over my own and vice versa. I hope thats one thing people here understand... you can have a mixers eq settings, or drum samples even, But the variables that go into the final product are just so critical...

 

[Jaymz]

Hey Mark,

You mention Clearmountain samples, is there any website or anywhere that you know of wgere those CD's are still available?

 

[axeman720]

No idea... rarely use them though. More suited for rock.

 

[AudioPhile777]

No idea... rarely use them though. More suited for rock.

Do you have them? Are you willing to part with them? I need some good rock drum samples...

 

[Jaymz]

No idea... rarely use them though. More suited for rock.

Certain snares have been used for blending on some well regarded metal albums Hence my intrigue!

 

[Rex Rocker]

I completely ADORE what he did in the last two AILD records. An Ocean a bit moreso.

 

[rlcramer]

I had actually never heard AILD until the new album came out, and so far it's been one of my favorite discs in a REALLY long time. It's literally been the only thing I've listened to for the past few weeks, and it will probably be that way until the new Nevermore drops.

Bobby

 

[acappa]

I had actually never heard AILD until the new album came out, and so far it's been one of my favorite discs in a REALLY long time. It's literally been the only thing I've listened to for the past few weeks, and it will probably be that way until the new Nevermore drops.

+1 Then I listened to Shadows are security...deep deception.